Pixar picks a producer

Lucasfilm Digital's former topper Morris makes the move

Former Lucasfilm Digital prexy Jim Morris has found a new home at Pixar.

Exec ankled Lucasfilm in November with hopes of resuming an earlier career as a producer and has quickly landed that job at CGI animation powerhouse Pixar, the only other major film company in the San Francisco area.

Morris, who starts work Feb. 14, will handle producing duties on one of the as-yet-unannounced Pixar films coming after 2006’s “Cars.”

That means he’ll work on one of the first movies to be financed entirely by Pixar. All of its pics up to “Cars” have been 50% financed by Disney and distributed by the Mouse House.

Digital animation company has yet to select which studio will distribute its films after 2006. Whomever it picks is likely to get a small distribution fee instead of the 50% of profits Disney has raked in on Pixar’s consistently profitable pics.

Unlike at Hollywood studios, most of Pixar’s producers are permanent employees who move from project to project. Company currently has six execs who have worked as producers on previous films.

Pixar was founded in 1986 with assets that CEO Steve Jobs acquired from Lucasfilm shortly before Morris began his career there.